I immediately made the connection when the trailer showed the layered rice terraces in-game, which largely resemble those seen in the Philippines. Specifically, they’re most widely recognized as the Ifugao rice terraces built more than 2,000 years ago in Luzon, Philippines. Rice terraces are designed for efficient irrigation along with rich natural resources, and they look like large steps embedded on the sides of mountains. They’re still used to this day and are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and they’re colloquially known as the “eighth wonder of the world.”
Filipino Twitter was popping off during the reveal, grabbing screenshots from the trailer and comparing them to real photos. This included the floating bamboo houses, the deep blue-green waterfronts along cliffsides seen in Palawan, and the rural-style housing often seen in Southeast Asia.
